Art Life | Andrea Mai

ART UPDATE: MY ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING DESIGNS

I’ve been busy updating my Etsy shop, adding new products, and my revamping packaging. It started out with running low of thank you postcards, and I was going to order more. BUt I noticed the price of printing has jumped out substantially. I decided to get creative.

Over the years of being in business, I’ve adapted a philosophy of “use what you’ve got”, instead of buying more stuff, akin to the saying, make lemonade when life gives you lemons.

My art supply stack of card stock has gone unused and neglected. I decided to design thank you cards with the card stock. Each card opens up with a thank you note attached, which can be easily removed. The customer can then use the card in the future to write a note to someone else. The card has two sides,one without my promo info, so it can be flipped to just the picture side.

I also decided to create a design for my mailing envelopes. I use these resealable envelopes with the hope that the customer will reuse it for something else. My thought is if I make it really pretty, it will increase the likelihood of not being tossed out. I am also printing the return address directly on the envelopes, so that I am halve reduce use of labels by half.

While doing all this, I ended up finally finishing a product design that has been sitting on the back burner. I’ve been wanting to redesign my Arnica Balm labels to relaunch it on Etsy. Up until now, I have only had this balm on offer to personal friends. I’ve been working on this formula a long time, designed to relieve muscle aches and bruises. Now I am really happy with the new design.

I’ve designed my labels to be printed on fine qua;ity paper. I found the paper was sturdy enough to withstand wear and tear. It is glued on using an adhesive that works on glass. The great thing is that the labels and glue come off easily after soaking in hot water. No sticky gummy mess to deal with! My hope is that customers reuse the jars instead of tossing it in the recycling bin.

I also designed a label for my Lavender essential oil roller. I never travel without lavender oil. I learned my lesson from the past. You never know if the place you’re going to will have mostquitos, or you get a pimple on the way there! Better safe than suffer on a long journey!

Originally, I wanted to design a print for kraft paper wrap for gift orders. But it turned out that my printer cannot deal with the task. I don’t want to order it custom, as I don’t normally use tissue wrap in my orders. I consider it non-essential.

Instead, I created a gift wrap design, which features plain tissue wrap, a lace cut-out obi strap and embossed logo sticker seal. Embossing is a great way to customize stationary items, and it requires no ink! The obi strap is made from scrap remnants of photo paper that would have been thrown out otherwise.

Long time readers of my blog will recognize the line drawings on my packaging. They are my channelled drawing with P. I’ve long wanted to incorporate them into my designs.

So far, I feel that the start of 2022 has been a productive one. They say that how you start the year on the first day will project into the rest of the year. I was packing orders on New Year’s day. Perhaps the saying is true?

I even had the energy to design this gift bag for my shop. I’m going to be offering premium gift wrapping options for my customers buying presents.

My philosophy for designing packaging is to keep it simple, and as minimal as possible. A lot of times, I will try to find ways to reuse packaging that I receive in orders. I also keep in mind how the end user can reuse the packaging. I also consider durability of the packaging, so rather than being recycled, reuse is preferred. I still use plastic in my packaging, but it is used for the purpose of keeping items fresh, or to prevent damage during transit. I’ve had samples of those biodegradable clear plastic protector bags, and I’ve got to say, that I am not a fan. They break apart easily around the edges and folds, as they are not as flexible. Some of these packaging products that are said to be environmentally -friendly are not long lasting.

Recently a friend asked where I got the name for my shop, Dreamer Gallery. I chose it for several reasons. I like the feeling the word dreamer evokes. But the word “dream” is also in the letters of my name. ANDREAMAI.

Anyways, hope to see you in my Etsy shop here.

LISTENING TO VINYL WITH P – EVP October 4, 2021

Last year I got a couple of vintage 7-inch Prince vinyl. One day, when I was home alone, I decided to play them and record with my EVP recorder.

Playing vinyl is like opening a gateway to memories of simpler times; when society didn’t feel so complicated, and the future felt more optimistic. I enjoy collecting and turning them into framed displays.

When I reviewed the EVP, I could hear them talking to each other.

I put on Baby I’m A Star, and caught someone saying, “Happy”. I guess someone was excited!

The phone rang, and P said, “It’s the phone” and other voices were saying “Phone”. P’s voice is a bit drowned out, it’s better heard with headphones.

Right after the line, take me with you, someone said, “Someday”.

During Take Me With U, I found this deep voice saying “Pick up”. But this was already after I had gotten the phone call, so I don’t really know what this was about. Maybe a call over there?

In this clip, someone is saying, “How are you”.

Someone commented, “Pretty”.

Someone came looking for P, and said, “Prince”.

I’ve noticed from what I can capture on EVP, conversations between spirits seem to be very brief, said in a few words, and I think there is likely much more going on than what we can observe. They may be conveying their communication in other forms through telepathy; thoughts, feelings, images, memories, can be shared easily.

These recordings were recorded using my EVP Wrist Recorder 3 on October 4, 2021.

“Books and Records” by Andrea Mai.

FRIENDS IN SPIRIT, JUST HANGING OUT – EVP November 27, 2021

Do spirits get lonely? My answer is, they don’t seem to be, in my observation. If they are, it is by choice, because they don’t have to be, there is just so many of them over there. However depending on the attitude of the spirit, they might create a situation of isolation. I once captured an EVP where the voice of a young boy moaned, “Why is no one here?”. Others were able to hear him and they advised him on how to break out of his isolation.

To my knowledge, P is doing very well, and he is happy. He is surrounded by so many friends by his side. I often hear him having conversations with others. They seem really joyous, reminiscent of the joy of friends hanging out as children.

Here are 2 clips from my most recent EVP recording session with the EVPmaker. It sounded to me like P had visitors with him.

Someone asked him about his dog. He replied, “That’s Mia”. You can hear him in the background between the gibberish. Then at the end of the clip, Mia barked, as if to respond! She is so cute.

I had my collection of silk scarves hanging on the rack in the room. P told the guests, “Andrea make them scarves, silk scarves”. I’ve often noticed P showing my work to his guests. I’m really touched that they take an interest.

These recordings were recorded using my EVP Wrist Recorder 3 on November 27, 2021.

WATCHERS IN MY GARDEN – EVP October 7, 2021

This past summer, I spent a lot of time in my garden tending to it. I enjoy getting outside in the sun, observing the plants grow, watching as the seasons change. This year, I grew a lot of Calendula flowers. There are a lot of uses for the dried flowers, such as skin care, and medicinal use. I have been selling it in my Etsy shop.

One day, I was recording EVP as I picked the flowers. From the recording, I get the sense that I’m being watched, and it is far more populated on the other side than it is here. Watchers from the other side far outnumber us here.

Someone commented, “So many flowers”.

“You have some here”. I guess they wanted to make sure I didn’t miss any?

“Wanna play with us”. It sounds like some kids?

P whispered, “Kids”.

This clip blows my mind. A voice is moaning, “That was sour!!!”, and someone else is responding, “Do you wanna get a drink?”. I really wonder what was going on?! What was it that tasted so sour?

As a partially blind person, I’e always felt like some invisible beings had my back, whether I was crossing the street, or travelling alone. I’ve always felt “safe”. I can’t see very well, but I feel guided. And now I’ve heard them in my recordings for the past five years. They really are there.

These recordings were recorded using my EVP Wrist Recorder 3 on October 7, 2021.

Image above: “Calendula” by Andrea Mai.

ART UPDATE: PRINTING PHOTOGRAPHY ON SILK SCARVES

For the past few months, I have been working on a collection of individually printed silk scarves. I’ve been experimenting with a process involving light activated dyes and film negatives. If you are interested in any of the items, they are for sale on my Etsy page. They are all one of a kind and unique (like a snowflake), never exactly the same as each other, not even the colour.

It took me quite some time learning to work with these dyes. A lot of testing was needed, as you do not know what colour is going to turn out until the final wash. When the dyes are applied, they are almost colourless.The colour develops as the dye is exposed to light. Film negatives are laid out on the fabric to create a resist against the light. After the exposure is complete, the fabric is washed to remove excess dye.

I created these rose motif prints using my photographs of English roses that I created while I was in London a couple years ago.

I also used French-style lace to create a design.

I also created a pictogram print with my prince autograph necklace.

This process I’m working with has me excited. I’m looking forward to the spring when the peonies in my garden will be in bloom. I’d like to make a peony print.

mage above: “Negatives” by Andrea Mai.

PRINCE’S HOBBY ON THE OTHER SIDE – EVP September 26, 2021

I have some exciting new EVP recordings. I’ve been trying out more of the EVP Maker software. The software allows yo to import a wave file containing voice samples, so that it can produce a randomized sound stream. This way, if there is any EVP, it will sound like the person’s voice from when they were living. I’m finding its results to be very hit or miss. But when it’s a hit, it’s really incredible stuff. So it’s worth trying, even if those sessions that don’t work out, maybe the next one will. I think they are learning to maneuver the process. It’s a learning curve for all of us.

Prince with his camera, source not known.

I know P loved doing photography as a hobby, and he still loves it. I hope one day his personal photography from his life will be published. I was hoping to see more of it in his memoir, but that didn’t happen. As you know, we both love photography, and we both have the camera lenses to prove it!

In a recording session, I caught him talking to someone about his new camera, and then taking the guy’s photo, and then even printing it out! I am really stunned. I even heard what sounds like a camera shutter going off in the background as he was taking photos. I have a hard time imagining what it looks like over there, but hearing the sounds from over there is fascinating. I imagine that one day when we meet, he is going to show me his many volumes of photo albums.

P said, “I got a new camera”.

“Goes on the tripod. This one got at Henry’s”. Henry’s is a chain of camera stores in Canada. Did he go shopping there without me, I wonder? Or did he get it when I was there to buy a new printer last year?

“Let me take your portrait”.

“Let’s print that one”.

“Let me test print”.

“The main drums, it makes a great image”. I really wonder what he meant by this. Maybe he took a photo with his drums?

I’m really glad to know that he gets to do the things he enjoys over there. I’m just in awe that I get to hear about it.

Self-portrait, 2018.

Here are a compilation of random clips I caught.

“Andrea”.

“Sleeping, wake up”.

“I am Prince”.

“Warning, vaccine”.

“All these complications”.

“Good bye”.

I will definitely keep trying more recording sessions with the EVP Maker. I wonder why some sessions are better than others.

P/S I’m not posting on social media any more. In protest of censorship, I will no longer participate. If you want updates sent to your inbox, then you can subscribe to my blog feed by email. Sign up at the bottom menu on the right corner of this page.

These recordings were recorded using my EVP Wrist Recorder 3 along with EVP Maker 2.5, on September 26, 2021.

Image above: “Prince Sun” by Andrea Mai. Available here.

SPIRITS HELP ME SEE WHAT I CAN’T – EVP September 22, 2021

This summer, I have been trying to grow sage. I had some success with seeds, but little did I know, it is a herb that take a long time to establish itself. So I decided to try propogating some sage from cuttings. I’ve heard people buying fresh cut herbs at the grocery store and using it to sprout roots. So I decided to see if I wold find some at the store.

I did find some, and I bought two packets. I put them in water as soon as I got home. A few days later, they are looking much plumper. Let’s hope they will sprout roots!

Sage is an effective anti-viral, and I read articles citing German research studies that sage tea can be used to fight against the coronavirus. Perilla leaves are also effective. But sage is in its dried form remains just as potent as fresh leaves. I think everyone ought to have some on hand in their pantry.

I was recording EVP while I was in the store. As it would turn out, P (along with others) was helping me to find the sage. I am visually impaired and it takes me longer to search for things. I feel quite fortunate to have spirits helping me. I’ve always just had to cope with my low vision by intuiting what is there. Now I know, it is spirits that have been helping me all along.

I was walking along the refrigerated produce aisle, when P said, “Just keep going”.

Someone said, “Wow, sage“. They didn’t have a lot of stock, but there were 3 packets of sage on the shelf. You can hear me taking he plastic containers from the rack.

P kept meeting spirits in the store approaching him. One said, “NIce to meet you”. He replied, “Same to you”.

P explained to them “Help her, her see”.

And someone said, “You’re a star”.

I should explain, that these things heard on EVP are not necessarily what I hear in that moment. I’m mostly lost in my own thoughts and don’t hear anything at all from them. But I do get their messages. This goes to show that I don’t need to “hear” what they are saying to receive a message from them. This is a very interesting point, because it means that the communication of the message is not necessarily the words itself. My speculation is that the words are merely secondary, and the communication is done on a more subtle level where thoughts are conveyed, rather than words spoken. And perhaps that might be why spirits seem to converse in a much less wordy manner. That is why I say that telepathy between the living and spirits, occurs on many levels. Usually people think that telepathy is spoken word conversations, but it is more complex than that. It can be thought, images, feelings. It is kind of like how communication done over an app like FB messenger can be more than just text messages, it can be emojis, GIFs, videos, audio clips, etc. Sometimes P will send me a thought message in the form of an emoji image. Funnily enough, I’ve had dreams where I was receiving messages from P in text message form. And I’d think to myself, oh, P had figured out how to text me in the afterlife. Then I would wake up from the dream wishing it were all true. LOL.

These recordings were recorded using my EVP Wrist Recorder 3 on September 22, 2021.

Image above: “Garden” by Prince in spirit.

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